1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to heating and air-conditioning systems. More particular, the present invention relates to the use of water source heat pumps that are used for the purpose of heating and cooling an interior space. Additionally, the present invention relates to the use of water source heat pumps that effectively use water from a swimming pool in order to achieve the requisite heating and cooling effect. The present invention further relates to the use of pool coolers for the purpose of cooling the swimming pool water in conjunction with the use of a water source heat pump.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98.
Human beings are know for their ability to adapt to their environment or, to adapt the environment to them. One example of this quality is continued expansion of human population into areas previously deemed inhospitable to human life. In order to survive in these hot climates, most structures that are designed for human occupation are provided with one or more systems for cooling the air within the structure. Some of the various types of systems used to cool the area inside a structure are typically rated by using a system which assigns an Energy Efficiency Ratio rating or number to the system. A higher Energy Efficiency Ratio rating indicates a more efficient system when compared to a system having a lower Energy Efficiency Ratio.
One popular method of cooling the air inside a structure that has been adopted in many hot environments is the evaporative cooler. Evaporative coolers use a simple combination of a water pump, absorbent cooling pads, and a fan to provide cool air. Using basic principles of gravity and evaporation, air is cooled by forcing it through the evaporative cooler. Water is pumped through water-retaining pads which line the interior surface of the evaporative cooler and the outside air is drawn into the evaporative cooler by a large blower fan. By drawing the outside air through the water-soaked cooling pads, heat is transferred from the air to the water as water evaporation occurs and the cooled air is blown into the structure, thereby cooling the interior of the structure.
To overcome the limitations associated with evaporative coolers, persons living in hot environments have turned to refrigerated air-conditioning systems to cool the air inside a structure. Instead of using the principals of evaporation, traditional refrigerated air-conditioning systems use the properties of refrigerant gases, such as freon, to the cool the temperature of the air. While very effective, refrigerated air-conditioning systems suffer from several undesirable characteristics. Foremost, these systems are relatively expensive to operate when compared to nominal operating costs associated with most evaporative coolers. During the hottest part of summer, the cooling costs associated with supplying electricity for a refrigerated air-conditioning system for even modest-sized homes can become exorbitant. Secondly, the compressors, fans, and motors used in typical residential air-conditioning systems are very loud and can contribute to a high level of ambient noise.
Water source heat pumps are becoming more common as the cost of energy and equipment maintenance rises. When properly deigned and installed, they not only reduce energy use, but lower maintenance costs and extend equipment life since they have no exposed outdoor equipment. They are very simple devices and hence only a slight difference from traditional heat pumps. Although they have an added cost of a ground loop, the water source heat pump itself can generally have a lower cost than traditional HVAC systems. In a traditional ground source heat pump, a piping loop is buried in the ground which is considerably warmer than the outdoor air in the winter. Water is circulated through the loops and into the building where the heat pump removes the heat from the water and delivers it to the air. Since water entering the heat pump is relatively warm (since it is in contact with warm ground), the coefficient of performance is much higher than a heat pump that uses cold outside air as a heat source. The process is reversed in cooling. Heat is removed from inside air and delivered to the water loop which rejects this heat to the ground. This provides high cooling efficiency since the ground is much cooler than the air during the summer.
Water source heat pumps have been adapted whereby a coil is submerged in a lake so as to replace the ground loop. These water source heat pumps can be very efficient if the lake is more than 30 feet deep. Typically, such bodies of water will have an area of greater than an acre.
The water source heat pump utilizes a compressor that is driven by an electric motor (typically located indoors). A condenser coil is provided with the tubing for water flow and tubing for refrigerant flow. A circulation pump moves water through the condenser and the outdoor water loop. An expansion device (usually located indoors) will lower the system pressure. An evaporator (or indoor) coil with tubing and with many fins serves to cool and dehumidify the air. An indoor fan is used to circulate air over the cold evaporator tubing and fins. A refrigerant fluid operates at the required pressures and temperatures. An outdoor water loop is provided in the nature of a ground loop, a lake loop or a water well. A compressor “sucks” the refrigerant through the tubing in the evaporator coil. This action causes the liquid refrigerant to “evaporate” and become cold. The evaporating refrigerant within the tubes cools air being circulated over the outside of the tube and fins by the indoor fan. In order to remove the refrigerant, it must be raised to a higher pressure by the compressor. The compressing causes the refrigerant to become hot. The hot refrigerant is sent through the outside tubing of a tube-inside-tube water coil condenser. Water is circulated by the pump through the inside tube and cools the refrigerant and causes it to return to a liquid. The liquid refrigerant leaving the condenser passes through an expansion device which lowers the refrigerant pressure before it returns to repeat the cycle.
In hot climate environments, many homeowners have swimming pools with a quantity of water therein. Heretofore, the swimming pool lacks a sufficient depth and area to provide an effective water source for the water source heat pump. Additionally, homeowners often prefer to have cooler water in the swimming pool. The water will generally rise to the ambient temperature over a period of time. Ultimately, if the temperature of the water is too high, it will be uncomfortable for use.
Water source heat pumps also have a problem when operating in high temperature conditions. This especially true if the humidity level is too high. The air conditioning system will need to run longer so as to provide a comfortable temperature within a conditioned space. A geothermal system with a water source heat pump will not work properly and efficiently. If any attempt is made to utilize the swimming pool for providing the cooling temperatures to the ground loop of a water source heat pump, the temperature will not function properly with such a small depth and small area of swimming pool. When the temperature is above 95° F., the water source heat pump system pressure will go high. As such, it will be similar to a clogged air-cooled condenser and, thereby, lose all efficiency. Most air conditioning systems that are air-cooled are only designed for 95° or less.
The air conditioning system includes four components. First, there is a compressor that compresses the hot superheated vapor coming from an evaporator. The condenser serves to cool the water or air so as to cause the refrigerant to change state to a high pressure liquid. This rejects the heat from the house. An expansion valve or orifice meters the refrigerant liquid to the evaporator. The evaporator changes the refrigerant to a vapor-absorbing heat from a conditioned space. If the head pressure goes too high, those system will not function properly since there is no more capability to reject any additional heat. As such, this occurs when heat is removed from the house to the swimming pool or reservoir. As such, a need has developed whereby a swimming pool can be used with a water source heat pump so as to effectively provide for cooling of the house or building and for the cooling of a swimming pool.
In the history of refrigeration and air-conditioning, the first metering device which separates the low side from the high side of the mechanical system has a manual hand valve that was used to control the flow and pressures on large high tonnage refrigeration and air-conditioning systems. This will maintain a constant pressure on the evaporator or multiple evaporators. A hand valve would have to be turned or modulated to a fixed position. This maintains the proper liquid flow to the evaporator or evaporators. If opened too far, the evaporator will have too much liquid on it and the system will not function properly. On the other hand, the valve is not opened enough, the evaporator or evaporators will be starved with not enough refrigerant and the system will not function properly.
Today, small refrigeration and air-conditioning systems use a thermostatic expansion valve to maintain a constant flow in a mechanical system automatically.
In the past, various patents have issued relating to the use of swimming pool water in association with heating and air conditioning systems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,498,072, issued on Mar. 3, 1970 to R. C. Stiefel, shows an air conditioning system for cooling the air in a house. The system includes a water-cooled condenser and an evaporator. The water for cooling the condenser is pumped from a swimming pool. The swimming pool water is warmed and, simultaneously, the condenser is cooled.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,123, issued on Aug. 24, 1976 to T. D. Davies, shows a refrigeration system for controlled heating using rejected heat of an air conditioner. The rejected heat is used to heat a second medium, such as water for a swimming pool. A control is provided to maintain the temperature of the pool within a given range without degrading the performance of the air conditioning system. A heat exchanger is provided to place the second medium in heat-exchange relationship with the refrigerant. The heat exchanger is placed between the condenser unit and the expansion valve of the refrigeration system.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,443, issued on Dec. 7, 1976 to R. O. Iversen, teaches an air conditioning system in which a liquid stream is cooled in an air cooling tower outside the building by contact with the ambient or outside air. This liquid stream is circulated in a cyclical flow directly between the heat exchangers or induction unit coils in the building and the cooling tower outside the building.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,338, issued on Apr. 26, 1977 to E. E. Poteet, shows a heating and cooling system for heating water contained in a swimming pool while providing a means for cooling or heating the interior of a building. The system includes a compressor connected through suitable conduits to a condenser located in a swimming pool and an evaporator such that, when a fluid heat-transfer medium is communicated under high pressure to the condenser, heat is given off thereby. The evaporation of the medium in the evaporator results in a reduction in temperature surrounding the evaporator so as to cool the interior of a building. A second condenser is provided with suitable valving and conduits for selectively communicating the second condenser to the compressor and the evaporator whereby the building may be cooled while not heating the water in the pool.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,418, issued on Mar. 13, 1990 to L. C. DeFazio, describes swimming pool heating system that includes, in sealed tank, a refrigerant cooling coil system. A water flow distribution manifold is located within the refrigerant cooling coil system. Cool swimming pool water is pumped through the water flow manifold such that it imparts a cyclical flow of water over the refrigerant cooling coil system. The warmth of the warmed refrigerant is imparted to the cool swimming pool water and the warmed swimming pool water then exits the water flow manifold and is returned to the swimming pool.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,216, issued on Oct. 1, 1996 to R. L. Holmes, teaches a combination air conditioner and pool heater. The air conditioner is a conventional house air conditioner which includes a condensing unit located outside the house. The air conditioning includes a compressor, an air-cooled coil, and a external fan directing air across the air-cooled coil. An evaporator unit is located in the house. The evaporator unit includes an evaporator coil and an internal fan for blowing air across the evaporator coil to discharge cool air into the house. The pool is a conventional outdoor swimming pool having a circulating pump for withdrawing water from the pool and for returning water to the pool. A coaxial heat exchanger coil has an outer conduit and an inner conduit disposed in heat exchange relationship with each other. The outer conduit is connected to a discharge pipe for discharging water back into the pool.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,802,864, issued on Sep. 8, 1998 to Yarbrough et al., provides a heat transfer system for use in cooling and dehumidifying an interior space. The system incorporates three primary heat transfer coils in a mechanical refrigeration cycle to provide comfortable cooling to the interior space while rejecting heat to the two primary condensing mediums. The heat transfer system functions by transferring heat from the atmosphere to a pool and, thereby, serves as a pool heater. In a first operating mode, heat is transferred from an interior space to the ambient atmosphere. In a second operating mode, heat is transferred from an interior space to pool water. In a third operating mode, heat is transferred from the ambient atmosphere to pool water. U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,563, issued on May 11, 1999, also to Yarbrough et al., shows a similar system. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 6,253,564, issued on Jul. 3, 2001, also to Yarbrough et al., shows a similar system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,745, issued on Jun. 15, 1999 to L. D. Conner, provides a method and apparatus for cooling air and water. The apparatus uses a combination of an evaporative cooler, a refrigerated air system with a water-cooled condenser, a swimming pool pump, and a swimming pool or other bulk water storage container. A pump is used to supply water to the evaporative cooler and to the water-cooled condenser from the swimming pool. After the swimming pool water has been supplied to the other components in the system, it is returned to the swimming pool. During cooler weather, the output air from the evaporative cooler is supplied to a series of ducts and is used to cool the interior of a structure, such as a home. When the outside ambient temperature and/or humidity levels exceeds the capabilities of the evaporative cooler, the output air from the evaporative cooler is re-directed to the attic space of the structure and the refrigerated air from the refrigerated air system is used to cool the interior of the structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,688,129, issued on Feb. 10, 2004 to R. S. Ace, teaches an excavationless geothermal system for heating and cooling. This system includes a potable water storage container that receives water from a water supply through a supply line and a reversible water meter. The water in the storage container is circulated through a heat pump. When the temperature of the water in the container is increased or decreased by the heat pump, the water is returned to the supply through the reversible meter.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,955,065, issued on Oct. 18, 2005 to Taylor et al., describes an air conditioning system employing air condensers and/or water condensers. These air condensers and water condensers are coupled to a water source. The water source includes a water-to-air heat exchanger.
It is an object of the present invention provide a system and process that effectively cools pool water.
It is another object of the present invention provide a system and process which provides water to a water source heat pump.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system and process that maximizes the efficiency of heating and air-conditioning systems.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a process and system that provides heating or cooling to the interior space of a building while, at the same time, cooling pool water.
It is another object of the present invention provide a system and process which serves to minimize utility bills to the homeowner.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a system and process which is easy to install, easy to use and relatively inexpensive.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.